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A Fan’s Thoughts on Avatar: Seven Havens

Do you know those stories where someone leaves the house to get something, but when they get back, they find their home destroyed? That feeling sums up what the Avatar fandom is feeling right now. The one consolation is that the house is not a metaphor for the state of the fandom itself but for the world Avatar takes place.

Earlier this month, Avatar: The Last Airbender reached an important milestone as it celebrated its 20th anniversary. The franchise has continued to thrive, growing even more popular since being added to streaming platforms. A new animated film is due to come out in theaters in 2026, and rumors spoke of even more projects in the pipeline. Then, less than a day before its 20th birthday, the creators of the show announced the next chapter in the world of Avatar, Avatar: Seven Havens.

Then, people started reading the synopsis…and started to worry.

What Happened to the World of Avatar?

The details remain scarce, but it seems that (hopefully) decades after the events of Legend of Korra, the world of Avatar experienced a disaster of potentially apocalyptic proportions. The nations as we knew them are likely gone or only survive in small pockets. That alone is a bittersweet pill to swallow, as it could mean many places we came to know throughout the franchise no longer exist. Or, if they do, they may no longer be recognizable. However, the worst part about the synopsis for Seven Havens is it says that Korra’s successor as the Avatar is no longer considered humanity’s savior, but a destroyer. That line alone has left many fans asking the same question:

“What the heck happened to make things get so bad?!?!”

Korra Still Can’t Catch a Break.

From what I’ve seen based on the comments, the general consensus seems to be that something horrible happened to Korra. Something that marred the Avatar’s reputation so badly that all of humanity turned on them. However, as to what happened and where Korra fits into all this, fans remain divided. Some people believe that Korra could have been directly responsible for whatever catastrophe rocked the world. Others believe that she might have been set up and made out to be the bad guy. And some think it’s both: she might have caused a disaster, but only because the alternative would have been far too horrific to be allowed to happen. What is certain, though, is that we are missing a great deal of context that Seven Havens will hopefully provide.

As for what I think, I’m in the camp that she is getting unfairly blamed for whatever happened to leave the world in the state it’s in during Seven Havens. I also think that this is a deliberate ploy by DiMartino and Konietzko to discuss the hate that Korra got.

Korra Wasn’t a Bad Avatar, you Know!

As a show and as a character, Korra has become infamous for being a divisive character. Many OG fans consider her an inferior successor to Aang, and her detractors cite her shortcomings throughout the show. The most egregious, though, is the fact that she got Raava ripped out of her and their connection to her past lives severed, resetting the Avatar Cycle altogether. In other words, fans may never get to see Aang, Roku, Kiyoshi, and the other past Avatars again!

They’re not wrong to be upset. I loved Aang, and the idea that we may never see him again as a guide to future Avatars is heartbreaking. However, I do not consider what happened to be entirely Korra’s fault.

like how can you look at this and say yeah this is korra’s fault pic.twitter.com/yroson2O5m

— c (@racerkuvira) February 22, 2025

Keep in mind that Korra was fighting an uphill battle when she went into that fight with Unalaq. She knew this, and so she tried to get help from the President of the United Republic. And he refused to do anything, thinking it better to defend Republic City. To this day, I believe that if Raiko had sent support, Korra wouldn’t have had to fight so many enemies at once, and Unalaq and Vaatu wouldn’t have been able to rip Raava out of her. What makes it even worse is that, afterward, Raiko still blamed her for the destruction UnaVaatu caused!

Korra Had a Tough Act to Follow, and She Knew it

A big theme in The Legend of Korra is how people would not stop comparing her to how great Aang was, which is understandable. Like many, I grew up watching Aang and wasn’t entirely comfortable with seeing someone succeed him. But does that mean Korra was an inferior successor? No! People held her to these impossible standards and wanted her to be as good a character as Aang was. And while Aang was an amazing character, he wasn’t perfect and made mistakes—many Avatar’s made mistakes during their lifetimes. The whole reason the Avatar Cycle started was because Avatar Wan made a mistake. But the entire point of the Avatar is that they’re not this perfect being that can solve everything.

The point of the Avatar being human is for them to be flawed and mess up like everyone else. That’s part of being human; regardless of their godlike power, the Avatar is still human. And through their collective experiences, Raava also learned what it meant to be human. That’s something that plenty of Korra haters seem to forget, and it’s something that people during the time of Seven Havens will have to remember.

But with that rant out of the way, what do you guys think? Does this sound like something you’re going to watch? Do you think the premise of Seven Havens is a mistake? Let’s get some fan discussion going!

And be on the lookout for a second part talking about the other big thing regarding Seven Havens.

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A Fan’s Look back on Avatar: the Last Airbender on its 20th Anniversary

It was November, 2004, and ten-year-old me was going to the movies with my family. We were going to see The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie together, and I was beyond excited. SpongeBob was my all-time favorite cartoon and my hero, and I was getting to see his movie! We got our snacks, sat, and waited for the previews to finish so the film could start. That was when a preview for a show that wasn’t out yet flashed across our screens. It’s name was Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I didn’t think too much of it at the time. After all, I was too excited to see SpongeBob on the big screen. Little did I realize it, but that one preview of Avatar would be my introduction to what would be the best cartoon of my childhood.

Slowly Gaining an Interest in Avatar

Over the next three months, Nickelodeon would slowly ramp up its promotion for this new show called Avatar. Their entire channel became inundated with commercials explaining what Avatar would be about. How it took place in this fantastical world filled with strange animals and people who could wield the elements. That there was an entire nation bent on conquering everyone. And that the only person who could hope to stop them was a kid who spent the last hundred years frozen in ice.

Emphasis on the kid part, as several ads repeatedly mentioned his age.

One of the Best Nights of My Life

I don’t know when it started to pique my interest, but sometime during those three months, I had gone from shrugging my shoulders at this funny-looking show (how was I supposed to know it was based on anime? I didn’t even know what that was yet) to wanting to see what it was like. So, fast forward to Monday, February 21st, 2005, the premiere day. I just got out of school for the day (probably did my homework), turned on the TV, and went to Nickelodeon to watch their programming block U-Pick Live. My sister eventually joined me, and together, we waited as U-Pick Live counted down to the premiere of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I remain thankful that my curiosity compelled me to watch the premiere, because it became one of the best nights of my life.

An Incredible Three Years Ahead

Saying that the first two episodes of Avatar blew me away would be an understatement. I was utterly floored by what I saw! There was the whole premise of this fantasy world ravaged by a century of war. The way it balanced the profound moments with a goofy sense of humor. And above all, there were the characters, most of whom were only a few years older than me. The fact that Aang was only two years older than me, had this enormous responsibility he never asked for, but was also this goofy kid who just wanted to have fun really resonated with me. He was like the cool friend I always wanted, and I quickly became attached to him! Though, honestly, I grew attached to all of the characters.

I spent the next three years devotedly watching Avatar and saw almost every episode. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined a cartoon on Nickelodeon could tell such a compelling story. The best part is that as I grew older, I began to understand the complex themes behind the story. While it wasn’t unheard of for kids’ shows to focus on important themes and morals to impart them to viewers, Avatar was different. It was willing to dive into topics its peers rarely ever did. From the cost of war to the effects of discrimination and abusive parenting, this kid’s cartoon was pretty mature! And like a fine wine, it’s only seemed to get better with age!

Avatar is as Good as I Remember

To this day, the night the series finale came out is among the best nights of my life. That’s how significant an impact this show had on me! And while the creators could have decided to call it a day after that, they didn’t. Instead of being a one-hit wonder, Avatar would spawn a franchise consisting of novels, comics, a sequel series, and another sequel series coming in the near future! And thanks to the pandemic keeping everyone stuck at home for a year, Avatar experienced a renaissance in popularity at the start of the decade.

And now, it’s more than twenty years old. Man, how time flies! But no matter how old it may get, Avatar was, is, and always will be one of the greatest shows ever created. And I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without it during those pivotal years of my childhood.

The Owl House Season 2, Episode 9 Review

There are many reasons why fans of The Owl House love Amity Blight. She’s powerful, smart, and while she came off mean at first, she’s actually just lonely due to her abusive parents. However, another reason she’s so popular might be due to her being voiced by Mae Whitman, AKA the voice of Katara from Avatar: the Last Airbender. Comparisons were inevitably made, but now that she’s changed for the better thanks to Luz, those comparisons have only gotten stronger. And in this week’s episode, “Eclipse Lake”, we see just how much of Katara Amity’s now channeling.

It’s as amazing as you’d expect.

Amity’s Mission is So Katara

What are some adjectives used to describe Katara from Avatar? She’s powerful, smart, motherly, and protective. And while Amity may not have the motherly aspect down (yet), Amity Blight’s shown all of these qualities. And this week, they’re on full display as she takes center stage.

Thanks to Eda’s Mom, the Owl House Gang knows the key to opening a doorway to Earth is through Titan’s Blood. Now, thanks to the Echo Mouse, they learn of a site called Eclipse Lake where Phillip Wittebane once found it. The only problem is Luz is sick with the Common Mold. It’s like a cold, only it causes fungi to grow on her at the end. As a result, Amity takes it upon herself to find the Titan’s Blood for her and thus help her girlfriend. Which is what she refers to herself as. LUMITY IS CANON, PEOPLE!

From the start, Amity’s actions exude a lot of influence from Katara. Case in point, she now carries around a bottle of abomination goo that she magically draws from in combat, much like Katara’s Waterbending. However, unlike Katara, Amity’s motives aren’t as good as they should be.

Hunter’s Own Motives

It’s bad enough that the Emperor’s Coven is present at Eclipse Lake, but Hunter also makes his presence known. He’s trying to beat Kikimura (who’s losing it after trying to kill Hunter) and find the Titan’s blood for his “Uncle”. As a result, he inevitably comes into conflict with Amity’s group.

It’s at this point, the Katara parallel’s intensify. In the Season Two finale of Avatar, she and Prince Zuko ended up bonding over their shared trauma in an underground, green colored cave, only for Zuko to reject her kindness in the end. The exact same scenario plays out here, right down to Hunter’s motivation. He seeks to redeem himself in the eyes of Emperor Belos, while Amity seeks to prove herself to Luz. In Amity’s case, though, she comes to realize that she doesn’t need to prove herself to Luz, because Luz loves her for who she is. In contrast, it’s heavily implied that Belos only sees Hunter as a tool for some grand scheme. But more on that in a moment.

While it’s discovered that Eclipse Lake dried up years ago, there is still some left in the key to the portal, which Amity has on her. An epic fight ensues, and once more, the animation kicks it into high gear! In the end, Hunter makes off with the key, though Amity inadvertently cracked it, leaking some Titan’s Blood onto her glove. Now, both sides have the means to power a portal.

But, just what does Belos have planned for Hunter?

Belos’ True Plans for Hunter

Belos claims that the Titan has big plans for Hunter, but knowing him, they can’t be good. This week’s episode, though, may have given us our biggest clue.

At one point in the shows opening, we see a book with a page turned to something called a “Grimwalker.” And the ingredients for it correspond to items found in previous episodes. More importantly, though, the resulting being would look a lot like Hunter. Is Hunter meant to be a sacrifice for the ritual in the Day of Unity.

In addition, this episode marks the first time we see Belos without his mask. He’s just an old man with a plant-based marking on his face. One might not even be able to tell of his potentially sinister intentions. However, it’s that very appearance that makes him so dangerous. Moreover, he’s said to have been to Earth, which explains his desire to return so badly.

Something Big is Coming

We only have one episode left of The Owl House before the series goes on break, but the hype for the show has never been higher. If the episode synopsis for next week is right, then Luz may finally return to Earth, only to confront the fake Luz. In other words, things are going to be big, and I can’t wait!

I Give “Eclipse Lake” a 4.5/5

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My Reaction to the Departure of Avatar’s Creators Cutting Ties With Netflix

When I heard that Netflix was making a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was weary of the news. After all, M. Night Shyamalan butchered the beloved show with his crime against cinema. But then we heard that the series creators were going to be executive producers, and my hopes went up. This was what fans have been wanting for years. But then, earlier this week, we got this announcement:

You heard them, folks. Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino, co-creators of Avatar, are quitting on the Netflix adaptation. As a result, fans around the world have gone into near-mourning about it. As an Avatar fan myself, I don’t blame them: this made me want to give up on the adaptation as well! However, it was Michael and Bryan’s words that kept me (hesitantly) on board. They have a lot of respect for some of the people working on this remake, and I’d hate to see talented people get blacklisted because of the fans hatred. So, I decided to at least give Netflix a chance.

Then, this article from Fandomwire started making the rounds on Twitter.

This Won’t Stop Avatar

even if this article’s true, and the creator’s departure just killed any chance of a live-action series, I don’t think Avatar is doomed. It’s been going through a renassiance all summer, and with new stories and graphic novels poised to come out in the coming months, I see no signs of it losing momentum. In other words, yeah I’m upset about the news, but this won’t destroy Avatar. It may make fans wait years for a proper adaptation, but if the Netflix series bombs, then we can show people how awesome the original was.

Also, I respect Michael and Bryan for their decision to stick to their integrity.

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My Picks for the Most Heinous Fathers in Fiction

They are the pinnacle of horrible parenting at it’s absolute worst. Happy Father’s Day everyone, and today, I wanted to take a look at some examples of characters that I consider to be the worst dad’s in fiction. Whether they neglected their children or were verbally or physically abusive to them, these are the deadbeats that Child Protective Services would love to put behind bars. That is, if they could.

Also, it goes without saying, but I despise each and every one of these guys. Okay, maybe not one of them.

Tywin Lannister

I cannot lie: I have a grudging respect for the Patriarch of House Lannister for being one of the smartest characters in Game of Thrones. As the head of House Lannister in the first half of the show, Tywin manipulated events to ensure his family would remain on top. No matter how immoral the methods may be (*cough* Red Wedding *cough*). Yet for all his talk of the importance of family, Tywin failed to practice what he preached. While each of his kids got scarred by their dad’s neglect, it was Tyrion who got the worst of it.

From the moment he was born, Tywin sought to make Tyrion’s life a living hell, all by virtue of being a dwarf. From denying him his birthright to allow him to be framed for the assassination of Joffrey, he went out of his way to be rid of his son. So, can you blame some of us for cheering when Tyrion killed his father as payback for all the abuse? Considering how he was going to have Tyrion killed, I’d say it was justified.

Aku

He is the shape-shifting master of darkness, the Shogun of sorrow, and the mortal enemy to Samurai Jack. Aku is one of the most evil beings in cartoon history, with atrocities that span centuries of tyrannical rule. However, it turns out he’s also… a dad? In the penultimate episode of the show, we learn that he left part of his essence with a cult that worshipped him. And when the High Priestess drank it, she somehow got pregnant and gave birth to Aku’s half-human daughters, the last of which was Ashi, Jack’s companion and love interest.

Now, Aku’s more or less on here because of all of his past actions. He didn’t have enough time to develop a real relationship with Ashi. However, in the short time he knew of her existence, he used his essence to control her body against her will and become his unwilling puppet. Fortunately, Ashi proved that her heritage didn’t define her and overcame her father’s control, which led to Aku’s downfall and Jack getting back to the past at last.

Darth Vader

As a Sith Lord, Darth Vader was responsible for countless atrocities in the name of his master, many of which would physically and emotionally scar his children, Luke and Leia. The first movie alone saw him order the deaths of Luke’s Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, torture Leia, and force her to watch as her home planet was destroyed. Then came Empire where he cut off Luke’s arm, and then proceeded to shatter his son’s world with this now famous scene.

I would also hold the fact that he was absent from his kid’s lives for twenty years, but to be fair, he was led to believe that they were dead. He may have redeemed himself in his final moments, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Vader was a bad dad.

By the way, this is the one that I don’t hate. I’m more disappointed in Vader.

Mr. Stotch

If you thought that I would put Randy Marsh on this list as the dad I hate most on South Park, guess again. While I find some of Randy Marsh’s antics annoying, I understand that he’s just an idiot and doesn’t mean any harm. Most of the time. The dad that I hate the most has to be Mr. Stotch.

Mr. Stotch is, in my eyes, the epitome of a dad that is far too strict with the way he treats his son, Butters. He will rail on Butters for the most minor of mistakes, real or imaginary, and his main form of discipline is to simply ground Butters. In the context of the show, it’s played for laughs, but if this was in real life, Mr. Stotch would be arrested by Child Protective Services. When I got to fight him in South Park: The Fractured But Whole, it felt cathartic to give him his just desserts.  

Fire Lord Ozai

And here he is, the man I consider to be the epitome of terrible fatherhood, Fire Lord Ozai. I could write an entire article on why Ozai was not just a horrible dad, but a horrible person in general, and overall waste of human DNA. Instead, I’ll just paraphrase all of the horrible things he’s done:

• Jealously tried to have his wife’s ex-boyfriend (and true love) killed
• Was willing to kill his own son to appease his equally abusive father
• Murdered his own father in order to usurp his brother’s birthright and become Fire Lord
• Challenged his own son Zuko to an Agni Kai just for talking out of turn, and then permanently scarred him and banished him when he refused to fight.
• Was emotionally abusive to Azula and pushed her into becoming a cold-blooded, sociopathic perfectionist, contributing to her eventually loss of sanity.
• Was going to burn the entire world to the ground to create a new world where he ruled as a god-king

All said, Ozai was, without a doubt, the worst father that I had ever seen on TV while I was growing up. Everyone universally agreed that the world would be better off without him, with Zuko even encouraging Aang to kill him. While he would have deserved it, I think that Aang’s punishment was far more fitting. Taking away his bending forever, stripping him of all his power, and leaving him to rot in prison for the rest of his life was a fate worse than death. And a fitting punishment for such a sad, pathetic bully. Good riddance.

Happy Father’s Day, Everyone!

So, now that that’s out of the way, I want to say thanks to all the wonderful fathers out there. And I hope that seeing these failures of parenthood in action will make you appreciate your old man even more.

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Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

Here’s to my all-time favorite cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender! I could go on for hours and hours about how amazing this show is. From the fighting based on real-world martial arts to the inspiration from real-world cultures, to its incorporation of anime art-styles. Avatar: The Last Airbender was, is, and hopefully always will be, the gold standard by which I judge cartoons. And I’m glad it’s up on Netflix in America.

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

Favorite Couples (or Ships) in Animation

I haven’t been on this Earth for long, but I’ve been here long enough to appreciate the art of shipping. There’s just something so appealing about figuring out which characters in a work of fiction should be a couple. It’s also fun to watch the shipping wars rage. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d celebrate by looking back at some of the great romances I’ve witnessed over the years. Thus, here are my favorite ships in animation.

Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser (Fairy Tail)

This ship is as hilarious as it is heartwarming. On one side, we have the ice wizard of Fairy Tail that can’t seem to stop walking around in his underwear. On the other, we have the water wizard who fell for Grey at first sight and joined the Fairy Tail Guild just to be with him. Grey was… less than enthusiastic about that.

This ship works for me for three reasons. Firstly, their respective ice and water magic complements each other perfectly, making them a nigh unbeatable team in battle. Secondly, see Juvia’s over the top acts displays of affection towards Grey are always hilarious to watch. Finally, despite Grey being a tsundere about it, he can’t deny that the two have chemistry together. By the end of the series, it’s all but confirmed that the two are a couple.

Kirito and Asuna (Sword Art Online)

That’s right, I’m a fan of this ship. Bite me. The reason that this ship is on my list is because, in my eyes, Kirito and Asuna represent how devoted a person can be to the ones they love. They will fight back to back in a video game or in real life, and should anyone be dumb enough to try to separate them, they’ll stop at nothing to reunite. In Season One, we saw Kirito fight his way through an entire MMO to rescue Asuna from imprisonment. Meanwhile, the recent Alicization Arc has seen Asuna take on a branch of the Japanese Government to track down a comatose Kirito, then dive into the midst of a VR war to locate him. Bottom line, don’t mess with either of them, or you should say your prayers.

Krillin and Android 18 (Dragon Ball Z Abridged)

I was already happy at the fact that Krillin found love with Android 18. However, Team Four Star managed to give the abridged version of these two characters an even better relationship than they do in the canon. Whereas she’s more aloof about her feelings to her future husband in the canon, here it’s made clear to all that 18 is as into Krillin as he is into her. As a result, this makes for their eventual coming together in the end all the more satisfying to watch. That, and their relationship also brought Dragon Ball Z Abridged to a satisfying conclusion.

Robin and Starfire (Teen Titans)

Best superhero ship ever, period. Like in the comic books the show’s based on, Robin and Starfire begin to fall for each other during the Teen Titans run. The romance between these two teen superheroes remains one of the show’s longest running subplots, with several episodes even dedicated towards their deepening relationship. The fact that both of them get crazy with jealousy when someone flirts with them only shows how much they love each other. Thankfully, fans of this ship got what they wanted, as the series finale movie firmly cemented their status as a couple. Hopefully, they end up better than their comic book versions.

Star and Marco (Star vs. The Forces of Evil)

Considering how I wrote an entire post about this, I don’t think I need to explain myself further.

But all these pale in comparison to my original favorite ship of all time.

Aang and Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

My original OG pairing from my favorite cartoon growing up. From the moment they meet, it’s clear that Aang and Katara have an incredibly powerful bond that only strengthens as time goes on. Over the course of the series, these two friends become each other’s biggest supporters and closest confidants in the main group of heroes. Katara sees the potential in Aang to do great things and has faith in him even when he himself doesn’t. At the same time, she also recognizes that he’s still a boy who’s being thrust into a role that most grown-ups wouldn’t be prepared for, and serves as his emotional support. Conversely, Aang encourages Katara to follow her own dreams of becoming a master Waterbender, and will fly into a rage if anyone tries to harm her.

I didn’t start out shipping Aang and Katara as a couple. However, once I realized that Aang had a crush on her, I wholeheartedly supported this ship and its milestones. Suffice to say, the fact that the show ends with them sharing a passionate kiss remains one of the most satisfying moments of my life. That satisfaction’s only increased when follow-up material reveals the two got married and raised a family before Aang died of natural causes. Kataang for life.

Before I leave, I wanted to show off this new piece of fanart that I had commissioned for Valentine’s Day, courtesy of Andychipps on Instagram. This recreates a very romantic scene from one of my favorite fanfics, Star the Monster Princess. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

Click here to read last year’s review of my favorite Valentine’s Day Special.

Jay’s Month of Halloween, Day 1- Avatar: The Last Airbender Special

Good evening, boys and ghouls of every age. Welcome to the first day of my month of Halloween. To start us off strong, I’m going to start with one of my favorite shows of all time, Avatar: The Last Airbender. I was a huge fan of Avatar growing up, and my love remains as strong as ever. While it may have come out a week after the holiday, the Season Three episode “The Puppetmaster” is meant to be a Halloween special. It says so on the Avatar Wiki!

The episode opens with Team Avatar telling ghost stories around a campfire at night. This helps set the tone for the episode: it’s going to be as scary as a kids cartoon can be. We can share in the kid’s nervousness and subsequent relief when they meet a woman named Hama. Hama seems very nice, if a little eccentric, with Katara quickly bonding with her. Especially when it’s revealed that she’s not only from the Southern Water Tribe, but the only other Waterbender left. 

Sokka, however, is crazy suspicious of her and thinks something’s off. The show even drops several hints that he’s right. As This suspicion comes to a satisfying conclusion with the climax of the episode. Under the full moon, Hama reveals her ultimate skill. The power that allowed her to escape captivity when no one else did: bloodbending.

Blood-bending Made my Blood Freeze

I’ve seen far scarier things, but something about bloodbending made my skin crawl in fear as a kid. Think of it: someone controlling every muscle of your body like a puppet master. The worst part is that you’re conscious the whole time, and can’t do anything about it. That’s a terrifying thought.

I’ve seen far scarier things, but something about bloodbending made my skin crawl in fear as a kid. Think of it: someone controlling every muscle of your body like a puppetmaster. The worst part is that you’re conscious the whole time, and can’t do anything about it. That’s a terrifying thought.

Katara beats Hama, but has to use blood-bending to do so. She had to in order to save the lives of Sokka and Aang, but it means Hama still won. The final shot shows her on the ground in tears over what happened, driving home how messed up this was.

The Scary Puppetmaster

This episode was dark, as dark as a kid’s show could get. The legacy of this episode ended up being far-reaching. Blood-bending plays a key role in the first season of the sequel show, The Legend of Korra. If the technique wasn’t scary before, that show made it terrifying. That fear stems from this appropriately named episode, “The Puppetmaster”, though. I loved it, and to this day, I don’t regret watching it even if my parents had grounded me for a month. NOT SORRY! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Click here to see the FANDOM Article I did for Halloween last year.

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*The following was originally published on FANDOM. Due to the FANDOM Contributor Program being shut down, it has been copied and moved to my blog. Thank you!

No matter how good a show is, it needs to come to an end, lest it ends up like The Simpsons. When that end finally arrives, it’s essential that the finale gives viewers a sense of closure. With that in mind, here are five cartoons that perfectly illustrate how to wrap up a show. The writers of The Sopranos and Lost should take notes!

PHINEAS AND FERB

The writers of the hit Disney show Phineas and Ferb end summer with a bang in the series finale, “The Last Day of Summer.” On the final day of summer vacation, Candacefails to bust her brothers for the final time. When she activates Doofenshmirtz‘s Do-Over-Inator, though, it causes the day to repeat itself. The resulting time loops erase things from existence, so the gang works to fix time before it’s too late.

The plot is reminiscent of Groundhog Day, with a twist. It also serves as a reminder that, as fun as some points in our life can be, we need to move on from them. Still, it can make for good memories, as in the final moments of the show, the cast sings a final song recapping the show. Seeing the cast sing about their adventures with clips of old episodes was the best “thank you” the show could give its fans.

ED, EDD N EDDY

Cartoon Network’s longest-running show, Ed, Edd n Eddy, got its send-off in the film, “Ed, Edd n Eddy’s Big Picture Show.” When the Eds‘ biggest scam ever goes wrong, the trio flees for their lives. The entire cast then goes on a road trip in pursuit of the Eds, while the Eds look for Eddy’s brother to ask for safety.

Two things make “Big Picture Show” the perfect send-off for the show: staying true to the series and character growth. Even though the film takes the Eds beyond the Cul-De-Sac, it remains true to the slapstick comedy that defined Ed, Edd n Eddy. It also shows the Eds actually developing as people and moving past their faults. By the end of the film, the trio’s bond has grown, and, in a happy ending, they win what they’ve always wanted — the friendship of the other kids.

REGULAR SHOW

How does a show that deals with crazy and surreal adventures end its run? By having the cast take part in an epic fight to save the universe. In Regular Show‘s series finale, Mordecai, Rigby, Pops, and all the park regulars battle Pops’ evil twin, Anti-Pops. The fight is filled with plenty of callbacks to the show’s run and leaves viewers guessing to the very end.

While we missed out on seeing Titan Pops fuse with the Hyperduck Mecha, the finale’s climax makes up for it. Its final minutes return to the first episode as reality falls apart. The icing on the cake, though, is the montage we get of the cast moving on with their lives set to David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Good show, Regular Show. Jolly good show.

GRAVITY FALLS

Dipper, Mabel, and the residents of Gravity Falls face Bill Cipher in Gravity Falls‘ finale. While “Weirdmageddon 3: Take Back the Falls” does stumble for a moment by wasting the potential of the zodiac, the rest of the episode makes up for it. From the Shacktronfight to Stan sacrificing his mind to destroy Bill, there’s plenty of action for all.

Like most great finales, Gravity Falls ties up most loose ends. Unlike most finales, though, the end credits reveal one final surprise for fans in the form of a scavenger hunt. Fans took to the road and social media to find clues leading to the location of a real-life statue of Bill Cipher. Way to throw the fans a bone, Alex Hirsch!

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER

For three years, Avatar: The Last Airbender built up to this moment. With the arrival of Sozin’s Comet, Aang would finally face Fire Lord Ozai and end his war of conquest. No one knew what to expect from the finale. How would the final battle play out? Would Aang have to kill the Fire Lord? The answers exceeded everyone’s expectations in the four-part finale, “Sozin’s Comet.”

Almost everything about the finale was in perfect harmony. Every major character got a moment in the spotlight, the humor mixed well with serious moments, and the fights were amazing. While some called the way Aang defeated Ozai a cop-out, it was the only method that didn’t involve killing, and it was true to Aang’s character.

“Sozin’s Comet” may not have been perfect, but it is as close to an ideal finale as a show can get. Critics and fans heaped praise on it, with one review saying it deserves an Academy Award. Even the questions that it didn’t have time to resolve get dealt with in the graphic novel sequels. “Sozin’s Comet” is an example of how to do a series finale the right way, and shows should use it as an example of such. Plus, Aang and Katara finally become a couple — #KataangForLife.